IDF Recruit Fights Being Dis-tressed

Spare me the army haircut. This was the demand of an 18-year-old Israeli, who charged this week that the Israel Defense Force is practicing discrimination when it requires male recruits, but not their female counterparts, to cut their hair.

Not eager to part with the ponytail he sports, the Haifa resident brought his complaint to the High Court of Justice.

His charge of discrimination represents another challenge that the IDF, a traditional male bastion, has had to confront after allowing women to enter its combat units.

Explaining the basis for his suit, the petitioner said, “When the army requires males to cut their hair when they are inducted into the IDF, and [they] must keep a short haircut throughout their service — while this is not required of women — this represents sexual discrimination and a violation of civil rights.”

“If women with long hair can meet the etiquette requirements of the army and function acceptably, so can men,” the petitioner added.